Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-04-19
iccryurii. issi. - Ai-ooda A fvfb.'
THE GOOD OLD TINES OF A
CENTURY AGO.
BY Jup0E c. =. WnIrHlS.
ChdItor ~
Chapter ",
rur SOLDIERS nrTrES

The soldiers Of Capt. Abasr Jons''
company we're mustered out q the ser
vice a, Philsdelphis. shortly after the
surrender Of CORVALLIS. and we're trans.
ported by water to Bl.ioa. From here
they started on the march home. Their
coming had been herslded through the
town and large number Of people wer.
gathered a, ,h. village store and pos. Of
fee to welcome them.
|, W. ple...n, autumn day OF the
"lndian summer. la froa, of the store
on both side. OF the stree, ". body OF
men With loaded maske,.. and near them
promi.euou. a..emblage completely
blocked up the highway. The Rev. Mr.
Hooper stood In front Of The frs, rank.
aud beside him ~. the local magistrate
Of tie village. Thom. Barker. E-q.
A man had been selected TO take biz
station At some eOnvsnien, place TO watch
for the coming Of the company in,o the
village. and give information for the
ringing Of the ehureh.bell. Simon Pet.
,r.on. = simple fellow. short 10 stature
aud pr,ma,urly bald. whose appetite for
"blssk strap" periodically 20, the better OF
hi. judgment. solicited the honor Of this
position. and Is va. given him. Duing
the sxei,msn, Of the hour he imblbed {.
little TOO freely. and W. not IN condition
TO perform hi. duties when the time came.
The soldier. having reached the out
skirts Of the place. halted TO brush the
dust from ihsir clothes. wheu. forming
by fours a, the music OF the fife aud
drum. they began the march up the street
into the town. The man q, the church
waited for the signal TO rins. bu, the
msudlin Peterson gave none. and hearing
the note. Of Yankee Doodle waited TO his
ears on the afternoon breeze. he rang the
bell with all his might.
An old cannon which had been used
10 the French aud Indian wars. blsled
forth 10 rapid discharge. while mu,ks,'
we're fred as fss, a. the men could load.
prime and empty their pisces. A. the
company came in sigh, OF the people Al
the store. cap. wen, into the air. and
cheer upon cheer greeted the soldiers. !.
they drew near their relatives and friends.
Halt" rang oa, the word OF com.
mand from Capt. Jones.
Fifty men were in the ranks. Sixty
bal gone away. Three bad died from
one from wounds. aud .ix bad
been discharged on account OF disease
contracted in the service Of their county.
The res, were there TO be welcomed home.
"Prssnt fireloek :" ordered the cap
tain. AFTER they hsd been formed in two
plsioons. shoulder freloek :" "Re't
frelock !" Ground firelock" and other
like orders followed till the soldiers had
gone through with the manual OF arms.
In the front rank WAS SAMUEL Taylor.
whose pale eoun,enanee and saie'worn
vi.sge bore marks Of rscen, sickness.
from which he had not fully recovered
Beside him was the tall form OF Jsrmi.h
Swipe., who had carried Ssmusrs musk.
ct from Boston. while Jacob bad carried
his equipments.
Many pairs Of loving eyes looked with
admiration upon the soldiers. Rachel
and her baby were there 10 greet the
husband and father. John was there to
zee his brothers come home from the
war Joseph and his wife were there
With tears Of JOY streaming down their
cheeks at the safe return OF their sous.
Sally Packard was in the crowd TO
gather the news and collect material for
gossip, and Eliza Jane Bisbee was there
too. and the way she looked a. the tell
figure Of Jeremiah S~ipes made James
Wood almost turn green with jealousy
while the pretty form and face OF Ruth
Hooper from the frat drew the attention
Of Samuel Tsylo<, who Was delighted be.
you'd measure by look Of pleasure ard
tenderness from her. This one Was all.
Try as he might. he could no, catch her
eye after that.
Mr.. Hooper offered prayer. aud Squire
Barker make . short address OF welcome,
after which Capt. Jones made speech,
thanking the citizens for their reception.
and pledging their further services should
they be needed. Turning to the men who
had fought under him, be praised them
for their endursncs and valor. and their
willing obedience TO military authority.
and taking them one By one BY the hand,
sYanhes Doodle is generally supposed to be
. native ,tnsricss air. Dut 10 ts cis,med to BE-
IN Ensiish song dating back to tbs dASs oi
tus itvss played by the iBfitish la dsrisi.s'
vhileOa the mach To u xington. April ~. iN,